Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Source:  All You Magazine

1 lb linguini
1/3 c olive oil
2 T butter
6 anchovy fillets from a tin
4 cloves of garlic minced
finely grated lemon zest and the juice of one lemon
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 t oregano
3 T white wine
1/3 c chopped parsley
3 6.5 oz can of clams drained, liquid reserved


Bring pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook linguine -- 2 minutes short of al dente.  Warm oil and butter in large pan.  Add anchovies, garlic, red pepper.  Cook stirring until anchovies melt.  Add lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, wine, half of chopped parsley and clam juice.  Bring to boil, and cook, stirring until slightly thickens, about 7 minutes.  Add clams, cook 1 minute.  Toss sauce with pasta and remaining parsley.

I really like clams with pasta.  I was excited to see this recipe b/c it didn't have any cream in it.  Not that I don't love me a good cream sauce, but the this created the illusion of healthy, although there is a fair amount butter and oil in the sauce.  Plus it's a one pot dinner (well plus the pasta pot).  Not to mention, I'll have leftovers for work.

The sauce takes a little while to put together but you are developing a complex flavor so it's worth the 10 minutes it takes.


This is a rockstar recipe.  The sauce is complex, rich and silky -- with the briny flavor of the anchovies, little added freshness from the lemon zest and parsley.  I can't say enough good things about it.  I would highly recommend trying this dish if you like seafood.  Its flavor is excellent and surprisingly complex while using relatively few, inexpensive and ordinary ingredients. Rockstar.

Quinoa with Shrimp

source:  All You magazine


1small onion
12 large shrimp
2 T olive oil
1 1/4 c quinoa
salt and pepper
12 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 t grated lemon zest
2 T fresh lemon juice

Warm oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened -- 3-5 minutes.  Add quinoa, cook, stirring 1 minute.  Add 2 1/4 c water and 1/2 t salt to pan. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring in shrimp during final 5 minutes.  Lift cover after 15 minutes and check that shrimp is cooked through and most of liquid has been absorbed.  If not, cook 1 minute or 2 longer.  Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.  Stir in parsley, lemon zest and juice.  Season with salt and pepper.


So I officially suck.  I missed almost an entire month of recipes.  I hope I get a pass b/c it was Thanksgiving, I had major busy season at work, and at home too.  I just could not get it together to write, post, take pictures.  Maybe all of you will take my word for it that for the most part I did cook, and even tried new recipes.

Even now, you'll note my choice of a super simple recipe.  My hope was that it was going to be something quick, easy, with healthy ingredients, and something that I can take leftovers from to work.  I've notices that weeks of eating off a food truck is not good for my wallet or my health.

So, the recipe was super easy to make.  There was nothing more complicated than chopping up the onion and taking care not to burn the quinoa.  Look, this is not a gourmet dinner, so make sure you use the lemon juice and the fresh parsley to add some flavor (and some much needed color) to this dish.  I also used my home based stock to cook the quinoa instead of water to punch up the flavor.

This is a good dish.  Tastes comforting, healthy, protein packed.  A really nice changeup between holidays known for their elaborate and heavy meals.  It's light, you can feel good about eating it, kids like it -- a real winner when you are looking for something quick and easy..

Steamed Savory Halibut

Source:  Good Housekeeping Magazine

4 6 oz halibut or cod fillets
pinch of cayenne
pinch of salt
1 lb plum tomatoes chopped
1/2 c green olives thinly sliced
1 T Champagne vinegar
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T olive oil
1 small shallot chopped
1.5 c corn kernels
1 T fresh mint leaves
2 T fresh chives

Fill saucepot with water -- put seasoned (salt/cayenne) fish  fillets in steamer basket and steam for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, vinegar, oil and 1/4 t salt.  Set aside.  In skillet heat 1 T oil, add shallot and cook for minute.  Add corn and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Transfer to bowl with tomato mixture.  Serve fish on top of tomato corn mixture.

Today is Sunday, and we had no particular plans, so it seemed like a good time to try a recipe that required a little bit of attention.  It's been a while since I've made fish, and it just sounded fabulous.

A couple of ingredient notes:  I couldn't find Champagne vinegar at my regular grocery store.  I ended up using red wine vinegar -- using the rationale that it should be an alcohol based vinegar ?  Also, the recipe says cod or halibut.  For all that's holy, don't buy halibut.  RIDICULOUSLY expensive.   Use the cod, and you'll have a much more user friendly repeatable recipe.

This is not a complicated dish to make.  Just some chopping, steaming and sauteeing.  The flavor combination is lovely.  The "salad" is fresh, acidic, briny and crunchy, which pairs very well with the mellow flavor of the fish.  I used dill instead of the mint and chives -- that's what I had at home, and after a summer of free fresh herbs (granted, from the neighbor's yard -- thanks Andy) -- I still have trouble coughing up $2-3 for a tiny package of herbs.  But the dill worked well.  Also, I think I oversteamed the fish -- it flaked apart and was a little dry.

Nevertheless if you are trying to introduce more fish into your diet -- this is excellent.  Just use cod.  Really.

Almond Crunch

Source:  Giada DeLaurentis

1/3 c slivered almonds  (toasted)

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c water

Spread almonds on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.  In a small saucepan heat sugar and water until sugar is dissolved.  Continue cooking for 6-8 minutes, until mixture is golden brown.  Pour over almonds.  Let cool.  Break into pieces.

This is one of the simplest recipes ever.  If you are like me, and have a  variety of nuts on hand at all times -- then you can make this recipe in like 10 minutes, anytime.  It's quick, simple and delicious.  There are just a few things to pay attention to, and you can have a delectable treat.

I am having a rough week, and another rough one is coming up at work.  I really needed to find a recipe that was super simple.  I had neither the time nor the energy to do anything complicated.  At the same time, I didn't want to miss a week.  So although Giada labeled this recipe a "garnish", I thought it was worth a try.

As I mentioned -- super simple.  Do not skip the extra step of roasting the almonds.  It adds a depth of flavor that takes this candy to the next level.  The only other thing I would suggest is to be super careful with the sugar.  Keep watching it while it's cooking.  There is something magical when water and sugar all of a sudden starts to smell like caramel, and looking golden and beautiful.  However, it can go from that to burnt and bitter in a minute, so be careful.  Also, hot sugar burns like nothing else, so do be careful when pouring.

It's a glorious recipe -- see pictures below.  It's sweet and crunchy and nutty.  It looks pretty.  If you don't like hard sugar sticking in you teeth - this recipe is not for you.  Otherwise, make it and enjoy.

This is the color of the caramel when it's ready --maybe I could have let it go 30 second longer, but I wanted make sure it didn't burn.

And now you are done.

Delicious treat is ready!

Isn't it beautiful?

Roasted Tomato-Garlic Soup

Source: Orzo Box

Pesto Sauce:
2 c fresh basil leaves
1/4 c pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/2 t salt
1/3 c olive oil

Soup:
1 jar Roasted-Garlic & Onion pasta sauce
3 c chicken broth
2 T olive oil
1/2 t fresh rosemary chopped
1/2 T fresh thyme chopped
1/2 c orzo

Place basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a blender.  Gradually add oil and process until mixture is thickened.

Combine pasta sauce, broth, oil, and spices in a pot.  Bring to boil.  Stir in orzo.  cook for 9 minutes.

Serve soup with a dollop of pesto.


I am on a tomato soup kick.  Which is weird because I don't like tomato soup.  My daughter, whoever, seems to love it, and it's such a nice substantial soup option for dinner.  This recipe also particularly appealed to me because it involved little more than dumping things in a pot.  I also like the fact that depending on what kind of pasta sauce you use, you get a little different result each time.  Finally, I was hoping that the fresh pesto garnish would perk up the otherwise "premade" taste.

Easy peasy weeknight dinner.

It tastes like you would expect -- a think tomato soup seasoned a lot like pasta sauce.  If you need a quick pantry meal, this is a solid option.  The real bright note -- the pesto sauce.  As far as I am concerned, all tomato soup should be served with pesto.  The grassy punch of the pesto is the perfect complement to the somewhat bland acidity of the tomato soup.  Delicious, and adds an unexpected burst of flavor.

Garden Tomato & Basil Soup

Source:  Lay contest -- "Tomato Basil Chip"  recreation

1 T canola oil
1.5 c diced onion
3 T fresh garlic minced
4 cups of red tomatoes chopped
2 14 oz cans of vegetable stock
1/2 c tomato paste
3 T chopped basil


Heat oil, saute onion.  Add garlic.  Add tomatoes, vegetable broth and tomato paste.  Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are soft.  Remove soup from heat, add chopped basil.  Puree soup in food processor.  Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

It's officially soup season.  You appreciate a bowl of warm soup, and love the smell of simmering soup wafting through the house. Plus, soup makes great leftovers and has the beginnings of a simple weeknight dinner.  However, I don't like tomatoes.  Or tomato soup.  And this is definitely not tomato season anymore.

The soup is easy to make -- a little bit of chopping, and the disastrous mess of pureeing hot soup without an immersion blender aside.  With that said, it is a nice twist on a regular tomato soup -- the basil is very distinct.  The little specks of green look pretty in the red soup, and you can definitely taste the basil flavor.  So for those of you that like tomato soup -- give this version a try for sure.  For me -- I continue to not like tomato soup....

Hamburger Stroganoff

Source:  Market Pantry Egg Noodle package

5 c dried extra wide egg noodles
4 T butter divided
2 T fresh parsley chopped (optional)
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 c flour
1 can beef broth
3/4 c sour cream
2 t Dijon mustard

Cook pasta, per package directions, drain and toss with two tablespoons of butter and parsley.  Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium-high heat , cook ground beef and onions until beef is tender and onions are cooked.  Drain.  Set aside.  In the same skillet, melt remaining two tablespoons of butter. Add mushrooms, cook and stir for about 4 minutes or until tender.  Sprinkle flour over mushrooms, mix well.  Add cooked beef and onion mixture; mix well.  Add broth.  Stir in well.  Bring to boil; cook about 4 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream and mustard.   Heat gently, until warmed through.

This is not a fancy recipe.  I had another one picked out for this week's entry -- egg souffle with smoked gouda and spinach.  That recipe was filled with more interesting ingredients, the added drama of making a souffle -- much more worthy of a blogpost.  But then reality happened -- a busy weekend, a sick kid, Fall definitely knocking on the door -- and at the end of the day, I just wanted a simple comforting dinner, with no risk of not turning out well, with something that gives me leftovers to take to work.  Enter Hamburger Stroganoff.

I omitted the butter from this recipe entirely.  I didn't think the noodles needed coating, and I sauteed the mushrooms in the fat rendered from the hamburger  (grass fed organic beef, thank you very much).  Would that 4 tablespoons of butter have added an extra dimension to this dish -- absolutely.  However, to me that was not worth the added fat and calories.  The dish is still plenty rich.  Also, do not fear if the sauce appears thin -- it will thicken up significantly.  Finally, season aggressively -- this dish begs for salt and pepper.

All in all, a nice workhouse of a meal.  Something that you can put together on a weeknight, yet involves only fresh ingredients.  Definitely will add to the repertoire.